Reducing my dependence on fossil fuel

[ultrarunner]

I'm envious of all of you...

I've got plenty of fallen oak each year and a Catalytic Buck Stove along with the BX and splitter to make short work of it.

Problem is I live in the SF Bay Area and we are forbidden by law to burn when it is cold in the winter... there are roving patrols of air inspectors and billboards and media announcements urging neighbors to report chimney smoke...

Can't give away wood these days.

 

[crazyal]

I'm envious of all of you...

I've got plenty of fallen oak each year and a Catalytic Buck Stove along with the BX and splitter to make short work of it.

Problem is I live in the SF Bay Area and we are forbidden by law to burn when it is cold in the winter... there are roving patrols of air inspectors and billboards and media announcements urging neighbors to report chimney smoke...

Can't give away wood these days.

I could never live on the left coast. I understand air quality issues but for some people being able to burn wood is the difference between owning a house and renting.

 

[TripleR]

I'm envious of all of you...

I've got plenty of fallen oak each year and a Catalytic Buck Stove along with the BX and splitter to make short work of it.

Problem is I live in the SF Bay Area and we are forbidden by law to burn when it is cold in the winter... there are roving patrols of air inspectors and billboards and media announcements urging neighbors to report chimney smoke...

Can't give away wood these days.

My brother lived in the bay area too for over thirty years and when he retired, he hot footed it back to Missouri to live on one of our farms.

 

[CHDinCT]

The insert was in the house when we bought it and we believe it put in during the oil crunch of the 70's so it was pretty old. We didn't try to fix it because it's just not a very efficient stove I suspect if there would be a flue fire and the insurance company found there's woodstove that's been welded back up we would have a hard getting them to pay off. We're going back with a Buck Stove Model 21, There's actually 2 flues in our Den one was originally a reg. fireplace and the other is a never used indoor grill. We're putting the 21 in the grill spot, kind of a odd setup but I think it will work, it won't heat the whole house but it'll be a big supplement to our Heat Pump/Oil Furnace dual fuel system.

Thanks for the clarification. I thought your issue was with the masonry chimney as a result of the heat generated by the wood burning insert. I have heard that the welds can open up over time due to the repeated heating and cooling cycles.

Started our initial search for a wood burning insert yesterday with hopes to have something in place by next fall. We only have two acres, but I've been giving wood away the past few years for lack of use of it. How many pretty but inefficient fires can you have in an open fireplace? With oil going to $3.50/gal (+/-) last winter, it would only take a few years to payback on a wood burning insert, depending on how much of the wood fuel I can harvest from my property. At some point, I will have to buy wood to burn, but my guess is it will be lower per BTU for wood vs oil, especially if I buy log lengths and buck it and split it myself.

 

[chiefchicken]

I don't own enough property to harvest my own, but I do have a truckload of logs delivered every other year or so. Approx 9 cords per load for $800. Rule of thumb is that a cord of seasoned wood contains approximately as much heat as 200 gallons of oil. As with everybody else, the Kubota has saved my back many times over.

 

[ultrarunner]

As with everybody else, the Kubota has saved my back many times over.

That's for sure!

I'm still learning new ways to use my BX... it's the best wheelbarrow going and the backhoe is a sure labor savor.

Been thinking about adding a winch...

 

[bearcreek paul]

For all you wood burners you should try Hilkoil it,s free hot water while your stove is burning.Easy install and about 200.00 $.It works great on coal and wood stoves,and free hot water 8 months out of the year.Here is the website.http://www.hilkoil.com/

 

[nvlong4n1]

My co-worker found a Long Silent Flame Wood Stove on Craig's list for next to nothing about 6 months ago. He says it was a great buy. Craigs list is a good place to finds those types of items.

We pulled our old Insert stove out last fall after finding 4 good sized cracks in
the firebox. We paid dearly for that this past winter. There's going to a woodstove
back in this house by this fall one way or the other.

 

[Redneck in training]

For all you wood burners you should try Hilkoil it,s free hot water while your stove is burning.Easy install and about 200.00 $.It works great on coal and wood stoves,and free hot water 8 months out of the year.Here is the website.Woodstove Water-Heater Coil by Thermo-Bilt, stainless steel, for wood stove, corn stove, coal stove.

My brother heats his house similar way. He bought a stove that has that already built in. His requires a pump due to location od the radiators and the water heater.

 

[Grateful11]

Thanks for the clarification. I thought your issue was with the masonry chimney as a result of the heat generated by the wood burning insert. I have heard that the welds can open up over time due to the repeated heating and cooling cycles.

Started our initial search for a wood burning insert yesterday with hopes to have something in place by next fall. We only have two acres, but I've been giving wood away the past few years for lack of use of it. How many pretty but inefficient fires can you have in an open fireplace? With oil going to $3.50/gal (+/-) last winter, it would only take a few years to payback on a wood burning insert, depending on how much of the wood fuel I can harvest from my property. At some point, I will have to buy wood to burn, but my guess is it will be lower per BTU for wood vs oil, especially if I buy log lengths and buck it and split it myself.

Mine wasn't weld cracks but actual cracks in the steel about 5 of them ranging
from 1" to 3" long and some in the firebox not just the air chamber. Got about
$40 for it at the scrap yard today.